Over the years, there have been many inventions and attempts made to dispense fragrances that deal with light fixtures, bulbs or from candles. Many of these inventions are elaborate, even motor driven, battery operated, complicated and costly devices. Others may be placed directly onto the light bulb or onto a candle with fragrance oil being directly exposed to the bulb, fixture or open flame. This poses a safety hazard and the consumer potentially may spill or have the fragrance oil come in direct contact with furniture or skin, posing various health, safety and aesthetic risks. Producers of air fresheners have attempted to address this market by incorporating fragrance emitting devices including oils, fans and sprays onto various electrical appliances that plug into typical outlets. This works quite well, but there are several drawbacks.
One prior art aroma dispenser is an aroma dispensing device manufactured by “Delightful Scents” under the name of “light bulb fragrance ring.” The device includes a ceramic annulus with a reservoir extending along a top portion thereof. The ceramic annulus is adapted to be received into the reservoir a quantity of an aromatic substance, and adapted to mount directly on a standard incandescent light bulb. The heat given off by the light bulb causes the aromatic substance to vaporize and diffuse into the air. The device permits the user to select a desired aromatic substance for use. However, such devices pose several hazards and limitations. The temperature of a typical incandescent light bulb can reach to at least 5,400° F. at the filament. Since some aromatic substances may be flammable, direct contact of the hot light bulb with the ceramic annulus and the aromatic substance may ignite the latter, thereby creating a dangerous fire hazard. Typical incandescent lamps are further configured to include an electrical light socket which is located below the light bulb. Since liquid aromatic substances are preferably used, such devices may further pose an electrical shock hazard should some of the substance leak down the bulb and into the socket. There is also the danger that the ceramic annulus may break the glass bulb if their respective thermal expansion coefficients are not closely matched.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,831 to Spector describes an elaborate air-filled device with jet openings and pressurized chambers that when hand actuated, expel a pulse of fragrance into the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,649 to Montealegre, and also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,373, 4,208,012 and 4,155,500, describe a variety of air freshener cartons that are free standing or can be wall mounted and exhibit perforated sleeves, folded flaps or other carton constructions that can be adjusted to allow more or less of a fragrance air freshener material to be released.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,658, to McCall, describes a roll spindle and hand ratchet mechanism that activates a music box, a fragrance dispensing apparatus, an audio tape player, and a night light.
The fragrance carrier itself also is the subject matter of many patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,912, to Santini, describes a membrane-gel diffusion device that allows for the controlled release of fragrance gel through a membrane material.
The patent to Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,011, shows an aromatic disk usable in conjunction with a conventional table lamp that is designed to provide for the emanation of a fragrance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,737, also to Spector, shows a further arrangement for use with a light bulb for emitting a fragrance.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,162, to He, provides a device identified as an intermediary device for altering the surrounding environment.
The patent to Pete, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,231, shows another light bulb fragrance dispenser.
The patent to Huff, U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,248, discloses a controlled fragrance dispenser for light bulb.
The patent to McAuley, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428, is another room air freshener, in the form of a porous ceramic ring.
Another patent to Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,011, shows another type of aroma disk usable in conjunction with a conventional table lamp.
The patent to Jaworski, U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,440, shows another type of air freshener dispenser. A further patent to Gyulay, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,717, shows another room air freshener.
The patent to Buccellato, U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,935, discloses an aroma dispenser for a candle.
Another patent to Gyulay, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428, discloses another room air freshener, in the form of a porous ceramic ring.
The patent to Zembrodt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,737, discloses a fragrant light bulb ring.
Other patents relating to this technology include U.S. Pat. No. 1,403,548, upon a lamp vaporizer. U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,371, relating to evaporating disseminator. U.S. Pat. No. 2,419,357, relating to smoke pot cover. U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,756, relating to vaporizing and disseminating device. U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,501, relating to vaporizer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,624, relating to die stamping and printing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,102, relating to pendant capable of exposing different areas of a volatile tablet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,384, relating to lamp scent unit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,034, relating to lamp stand for lampshade. U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,011, relating to scented sticker. U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,059, relating to aroma-generating lamp structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,592, relating to aroma-generating capsule. U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,250, relating to night light assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,581, relating to self deodorizing ash tray. U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,433, relating to long-life aroma-generating capsule. Pat. No. D,301,636, relating to light bulb attachment for supporting scent-releasing pebbles or the like. Pat. No. D,301,760, relating to combined light bulb attachment and scent releasing pebbles therefore. U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,711, relating to fragrance dispensing device. Pat. No. D,308,419, relating to Cover Plate for a ceiling fan. U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,490, relating to Scent-generating lamp using mating parts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,877, relating article for diffusing volatile substances, and in particular perfume. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,822, relating to Vent scent adapter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,286, relating to lamp shade adapter. Pat. No. D,363,537, relating to scented decorative ring for lamps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,831, relating to bed linen deodorizer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,728, relating to Combined drip preventing and fragrance dispensing candle holder. U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,248, relating to Controlled fragrance dispenser for light bulb. U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,963, relating to microwave deodorizer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,883, relating to guide for selectively receiving a wick in a dispenser for a volatile liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,665, relating to flameless candle with air intake chamber and air outflow chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 7,008,083, relating to method and apparatus for leveling a shade.
All of the above prior art patented inventions are more or less cumbersome to assemble and use. Many are very elaborate and costly to manufacture as they incorporate to varying degrees electric motors, valves, pressurized containers, ratchet handles and gears, electronics, wooden cabinets, batteries, moving parts, injection molded components, springs, mounting brackets, gels, complicated membrane packaging or scented oil to be applied to a reservoir by the consumer. The initial cost to purchase and later maintain the refills is relatively high.